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2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics is an Olympic games that was a major sport event from 7 August 2008 to 24 August 2008. In the opening ceremony, the number "8" is associated with prosperity and confidence in the Chinese culture. Number 8 is also considered to be auspicious. It also started as 8 minutes and 8 seconds from the time past 8pm, and to generate wealth. Bidding Beijing was elected as the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympics on 13 July 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, defeating bids from Toronto, Paris, Istanbul, and Osaka. Prior to the session, five other cities (Bangkok, Cairo, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and Seville) had submitted bids to the IOC, but failed to make the short list chosen by the IOC Executive Committee in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only six votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by a majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds. Toronto's bid was their 5th failure since 1960 (failed bid for 1960, 1964, 1976 and 1996 games losing to Rome, Tokyo, Montreal and Atlanta). Other cities hinted at submitting bids or were mentioned as possible bidders in media reports but did not do so, including: Lisbon, Portugal; Krasnaya Polyana, Russia; a joint Israel/Palestinian bid; New York City, United States; Prague, Czech Republic; Pusan, South Korea; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Vancouver was bidding for the 2010 Winter Olympics); and Moscow, Russia. Venues By May 2007 the construction of all 31 Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun. The Chinese government renovated and constructed six venues outside Beijing as well as 59 training centres. The largest structures built were the Beijing National Stadium, Beijing National Indoor Stadium, Beijing National Aquatics Center, Olympic Green Convention Center, Olympic Green, and Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center. Almost 85% of the construction budget for the six main venues was funded by $2.1 billion (RMB¥17.4 billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments were expected from corporations seeking ownership rights after the Olympics. Some events were held outside Beijing, namely football in Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Tianjin; sailing in Qingdao; and, because of the "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone", the equestrian events were held in Hong Kong. The centerpiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics, was the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "The Bird's Nest" because of the nest-like skeletal structure. The box was given and distributed in October 2008. It had hosted the athletes competition, as well as opening and closing ceremonies. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the games, but the decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing, on 24 December 2003. Transport To prepare for Olympic visitors, Beijing's transportation infrastructure has been expanded. Beijing Airport had underwent major renovation with the addition of Terminal 3, designed by Norman Foster. Within the city itself, Beijing Subway had been expanded with an addition of 7 lines and 80 stations to the previous 4 lines and 40 stations. The Beijing Subway is rapidly expanding and according to the master plan, it will reach 999 km of lines in 2021. By then, public transport mode share has been increased to 60%, with subway accounting 62% for all public transit lines. At the start of 2017, there are more than 350km of lines under construction but not limited to Line 3, Line 6 (West extension), Line 7 (East extension), Line 8 (South extension), Line 12, Line 14 (Xiju-Beijing South), Line 16, Line 17 and Line 19. In 2014, Beijing planning authorities assessed mass transit monorail lines for areas of the city of which subway operation or construction has been difficult. In August 2015, planning authorities proposed an underground automatic people mover (APM) line through the Central Business District (CBD), The line will run at 6.5km, have eight stations from Dongdaqiao to Dajiaoting, and has been incorporated into 2021 Subway Plan. The CBD Line is also known as Line 28 and is expected to open as later as 2021. Officials have confirmed that the line has been upgraded into the city line from Automatic People Mover. Media coverage The 2008 Summer Olympics is the first Olympics to be broadcasted in high-definition. Torch Relay Attacks The attacks on the torch in London and Paris were described as "despicable" by the Chinese government, condemning them as "deliberate disruptions... who gave no thought to the Olympic spirit or the laws of Britain and France" and who "tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit", and vowed they would continue with the relay and not allow the protests to "impede the Olympic spirit". Large-scale counter-protests by overseas Chinese and foreign-based Chinese nationals became prevalent in later segments of the relay. No major protests were visible in the Latin America, Africa, and Western Asia legs of the torch relay. The torch relay leg held in London, the host city of the 2012 Summer Olympics, on April 6 began at Wembley Stadium, passed through the City of London, and eventually ended at O2 Arena in the eastern part of the city. The 48 km (30 mi) leg took a total of seven and a half hours to complete, and attracted protests by pro-Tibetan independence and pro-Human Rights supporters, prompting changes to the planned route and an unscheduled move onto a bus, which was then briefly halted by protestors. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has officially complained to Beijing Organising Committee about the conduct of the tracksuit-clad Chinese security guards. The Chinese officials, seen manhandling protesters, were described by both the London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Lord Coe, chairman of the London Olympic Committee as "thugs". A Metropolitan Police briefing paper revealed that security for the torch relay cost £750,000 and the participation of the Chinese security team had been agreed in advance, despite the Mayor stating, "We did not know beforehand these thugs were from the security services. Had I known so, we would have said no." Of the 80 torch-bearers in London, Sir Steve Redgrave, who started the relay, mentioned to the media that he had received e-mailed pleas to boycott the event and could "see why they would like to make an issue" of it. Francesca Martinez and Richard Vaughan refused to carry the torch, while Konnie Huq decided to carry it and also speak out against China. The pro-Tibetan Member of Parliament Norman Baker asked all bearers to reconsider. Amid pressure from both directions, Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the torch outside 10 Downing Street without holding or touching it. The London relay saw the torch surrounded by what the BBC described as "a mobile protective ring." Protests began as soon as Redgrave started the event, leading to at least thirty-five arrests. In Ladbroke Grove a demonstrator attempted to snatch the torch from Konnie Huq in a momentary struggle, and in a separate incident, a fire extinguisher was set off near the torch. The Chinese ambassador carried the torch through Chinatown after an unpublicized change to the route amid security concerns. The torch made an unscheduled move onto a bus along Fleet Street amid security concerns and efforts to evade the protesters. In an effort to counter the pro-Tibet protesters and show their support for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, more than 2,000 Chinese also gathered on the torch route and demonstrated with signs, banners and Chinese flags. A large number of supporters were concentrated in Trafalgar Square, displaying the Olympic slogan "One World, One Dream". The relay was also delayed and modified due to the Sichuan earthquake in China, on 12 May 2008. The flame was carried on top of the Mount Everest, on a 108km long highway along Tibet, built especially for the relay. The torch relay would have taken the torch from Taipei after leaving Vietnam and before heading to Hong Kong. However, the Government of Taiwan, objected to this proposal, claiming that this route would make the portion of the relay in Taiwan appear to be part of the torch's domestic journey through China, rather than a leg on the international route. This dispute, as well as the Chinese demands that the flag and the national anthem of Republic of China be banned along the route led by the Government of Taiwan to reject the proposal that it had on the leg route, and the two sides of Taiwan Strait subsequently blamed each other for injecting politics to the event.